FHB: Chapter 19

“I’ve accepted an internship with the Ministry of Magic. I know-” Lucius paused when his father gave him a strange look.

Abraxas Malfoy turned to face Lucius as the room began drowning in darkness. The flame in the fireplace was dying from the strange chill in the air.

“I know you don’t-”

“I’m not talking about the internship, Lucius. I’m talking about your conversation with the Dark Lord,” his father interrupted him.

Lucius did not see why it was such a big deal. His father had always wanted him to join the death eaters, so what was the problem with Lucius speaking to the Dark Lord?

“I-”

“He left you a letter,” his father cut him off again.

Lucius stared at the letter in his father’s hand and wondered what was in it. What words did the Dark Lord spare him before he left? Were they orders, were they praises, or were they encouragements? Lucius could not imagine the Dark Lord giving praises or encouragements, but reality was surprising.

“I do hope your internship would do you good, young Lucius. I’m looking forward to seeing you as my death eater in the near future as I thoroughly enjoyed your company. Best wishes, your friend,” his father read, failing to supress the anger inside of him.

“What’s the matter, father? I thought that would make you proud,” Lucius boldly ask.

“Proud? Proud that my son is having little chats with the house guest?”

“Yes,” Lucius simply answered, unable to understand what the fuss was all about.

“The Dark Lord is not your friend, Lucius. Cozying up with him will not make your life easier!”

“I thought you wanted me to be a death eater?”

“Yes, I do, but under my supervision! You are treading in dangerous water, son.”

“I don’t understand. The Dark Lord is not a stranger to us, why does it bother you when he’s being nice-”

“The Dark Lord is not nice or friendly, he simply has a way with words. You’re too naïve to see this, but whatever he says carries an ulterior motive, Lucius. I have been with him for years and I know him well enough to know that.”

The flickering flames in his father’s eyes disappeared, just as the fire in the fireplace went out in a poof. The moment the fireplace lit up from a spell his father casted, Lucius began to understand where his father was coming from. His father was not great with words, but as a son not seeking an argument, Lucius caught his intentions pretty quickly.

“So, what do you want me to do? I can’t be a death eater without being loyal to the Dark Lord.”

“Be loyal to the cause, not to the man. Fly when he soars but swim when he drowns.”

“You don’t do that,” Lucius pointed out. His father seemed more loyal to the man than the cause for blood purity.

“I don’t do that so that you can. His faith in us Malfoys are strong, and he would not suspect a lack of loyalty from you.”

Lucius remained silent as his father continued, “The next time he talks to you, come to me right away. Remember, our loyalty lies with our family.”

His father placed the letter on the table and gave Lucius’ shoulder a squeeze before he left. Lucius stood listening as his father’s footsteps travelled down the hallway and disappeared behind a door. Once Lucius was in the presence of no one but the breathing fire, he shut his bedroom door and reached for the letter. He hesitated for a moment but soon decided not to look at it as he fed it to the flames.

Lucius knew there was truth in his father’s words. Loyalty was to the family and their cause, not to any man. That night, Lucius drifted into dream world with the words ‘fly when he soars, swim when he drowns’ echoing in his head.

After the father-son conversation, Lucius found his father more vocal during mealtimes. It was as though a wall had been broken down and Abraxas could now relate to his son. Lucius could see why, as his father no longer needed to struggle with the thought of loosing his only son to his master. Knowing that, Lucius was determined to not let it happen. He was smart; smarter than most people thought he was.

A week later, Lucius bid farewell to his parents as he left for his internship. He was driven to a little office in the city where all the interns were instructed to meet. When he arrived, he was brought to a briefing room filled with forty over students. Lucius did not expect a low number and felt rather proud of being among the chosen few.

As Lucius took a seat at the back of the room, the last few students scrambled in and the briefing began. They were told the procedure of entering the ministry headquarters and were then briefed on the rules of their stay in the muggle apartments. Once the two-hour long briefing was over, they were told to pair up; the pair would be travelling mates for the duration of the internship. Hearing that, Lucius immediately responded with a grunt.

Getting to his feet, Lucius scanned the room for someone worthy. Some of the students looked familiar while others were complete strangers, but one caught his eye. Tanya Lovegood stood a few feet away from him talking to a girl, and Lucius was not surprise to see her. The only thing that surprised him was the urge to hurry up to her and ask her to be his partner. Lucius would rather not ask, but it was either her or a stranger he would be forced to pair with.

He had to decide… to move fast or to not move at all.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should ask or wait to be asked!)